Mattress construction



Nov. 26, 1963 E. TARLOW MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1962 IN VEN TOR. ELV l N TARLOW ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1963 E. 'rARLow 3,111,690

MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed March 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. ELVIN TARLOW ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,111,6t) MATTRESS CNSTRUCTIQN Elvin Tariow, 1000 SE. Water Ave., Portland 14, Greg. Filed Mar. 19, 1%2, Ser. No. 186,733 1 Ciailn. (Ci. 5-351) This invention relates in general to mattresses in which an inner spring construction is surmounted with resilient spongy padding and the spongy padding is in turn surmou-nted with a suitable fabric or ticking forming the outside covering Ifor the mattress.

More particularly the present invention relates to mattress construction in which a spongy padding is secured in place on an inner spring unit assembly, and further in which the padding may preferably consist of such spongy material as polyurethane foam, .familiarly known in the trade as p'olyfoaimf Polyfoam is readily obtainable on the market in sheets of various thickness, as desired, and has been found to be preferable in several respects to the foam rubber which has been used extensively as a padding covering on springs, such foam rubber having, to a certain extent, replaced the still older types of padding of yfelted cotton and other fibrous materials employed in mattress construction.

One of the problems encountered with such mattresss construction, particularly when polyfoam is used as the padding yon the inner spring assembly, is the proper securing of the padding in place on the spring assembly in a permanent and practical manner and without requiring the expenditure of excessive time and labor for the purpose.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved inner spring mattress construction in which a padding of polyfoam or other similar desirable material can be anchored securely to the spring assembly entirely by stapling, inasmuch as modern stapl-ing machines make it possible for such stapling to be done quickly and easily.

A related object of the invention is to provide an improved mattress construction of this nature in which the stapling of the padding to the spring assembly will not mar the desired smooth appearance of the mattress surface, or even be capable of detection from the exterior finished surface of the mattress.

Another problem encountered with mattress construction, especially when spongy foam materials are used as the padding `over a spring assembly, is the ydiiiculty in preventing the outside fabric or ticking of the mattress, as well as the adjacent underlying padding, from creeping or wrinkling with the use of the mattress, unless such outside fabric or ticking and the mattress padding are secured together at frequent intervals by tufting, commonly employed in the case of mattresses with the older types of padding.

A particular object of the present invention accordingly is to provide improved mattress construction embodying an inner spring assembly surmounted with a padding of foam-like material, with the outer covering or ticking of the mattress stretched smoothly over the padding, and with both outer covering and inner padding smoothly and firmly held in place against creeping or wrinkling and without any tufting being required.

The manner in which these `objects and other incidental advantages are attained with the mattress construction of the present invention, and fthedetails of such construction, will be briefly explained and described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a mattress constructed in accordance with the present invention, the section being 'taken on the line indicated at 1-1 in FIG. 2;

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FIG. 2 is a Vfragmentary top plan view corresponding to line 2--2l of FIG. l, showing portions of the padding and top covering broken away for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the completed mattress, shown in part in FIGS. 1 and 2, drawn on a considerably smaller scale;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spring assembly by itself drawn approximately to the same scale as FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the woven insulation or separating sheet which is placed between the spring assembly and the padding as a protection for the inner surface of the padding, this view being drawn to a smaller scale than FIGS. 1, 2 and 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, similar in part to FiG. 1, but drawn to a smaller scale, illustrating the carrying-out of the invention with a single faced or non-reversible mattress.

The inner spring assembly, designated as a whole by the reference character titi, is more or less of conventional construction, embodying a plurality of identical coil springs 11, preferably, although not necessarily, of double cone or hour glass shape, with the top and bottomends of the springs connected to criss-cross tie spring Wires 12. These criss-cross tie spring wires at both top and bottom of the spring assembly fare secured at their ends to a border wire 13, and the border wires 13- extend entirely around the top and bottom of the assembly, each of the two border wires 13 being preferably reinforced with an inner heavier straight wire 14 so as to maintain the overall shape or contour of the assembly while permitting flexing of the coi-l sprin-gs within the assembly. Since inner spring assemblies of this type are well-known in the tart further description of this particular spring assembly or spring unit is not necessary.

The present invention may be carried out in the production of -a reversible mattress, as shown in FIG. l, and thus with a mattress provided with two identical padded surfaces, either of which may optionally be used as the top face; or the invention may be similarly employed with a single faced or non-reversible mattress, as illustrated in part in FIG. 6; both reversible and non-reversible mattresses in general being widely used. It is to be understood that the present invention is not restricted to a reversible mattress or to a non-reversible mattress, but may be employed with either, and, since in the case of a reversible mattress, both padded surfaces are identical, the description of the mattress construction constituting the present invention with respect to one such padded finished mattress surface will suiice.

Referring to FIGS. l, 2 and 6, a blanket or thick sheet 15 of spongy material, preferably the material known as polyfoam previously mentioned, is used as the main padding `on the spring assembly or unit 10. However, before securing the spongy padding 'on'the spring assembly, it is desirable first to pl-ace an insulation sheet 16 on the spring assembly as a means of protecting the soft thick spongy sheet 15 from contact wear with the face of the spring assembly and yfrom any tendency for small areas of the underface of the sheet of spongy material 15 from being pushed down in the spaces between the crisscross spring wires 12.

While burlap or other materials may satisfactorily be used for this insulation sheet 16, I have found it very satisfactory, as well as economical, to use a coarse screen or mesh 16 (see FIG. 5), readily obtainable on the market, and formed of parallel wires 17 and cross parallel strands of heavy twine 1S, with the spacing between the strands of twine 1S being much less than the spacing between the spring wires 12 of the spring assembly, as shown in FIG. 2. This insulation sheet or netting should extend to Within a few inches of the edge of the surface of the spring assembly on all four sides. l t is not necessary to secure the insulation sheet to the spring assembly since it will oe held in place by the superimposed thick padding sheet l which is secured to the spring assembly in the manner now to be described.

The spongy padding sheet E5, which preferably is two or more inches in thickness, and which should not in any event be less than one and one-half inches in thickr-css 1n the carrying out of the present invention, is cut -i a slze sufcicntly larger than the face of the spring assemably lill to enable the border portions of the sheet l5' to be brought down over the border wire and around and under the edge of the face of the spring assembly on all four sides, as shown by the border portion l5 in l and 6, thus enabling the border portion l5 of the pafding to be extended in under the spring assembly, pr ferabiy for a distance of three inches or more on all sides, depending on the thickness oi this padding sheet l5.

With the padding sheet le so arranged on the spring assembly l@ and extending over and beyond the edge of the .spring assembly on all four sides, the pad-:ling sheet l5 1s then secured to the spring assembly il? by passing a row of staples through the two thicknesses oi the padding sheet and the included face of the spring assembly entirely around the spring assembly and a short distance inwardly from the enclosed border wire i3 of the face of the assembly, as shown by the staples It@ in FIGS. 1 2 and 6. l`hisfstaplirn7 is done by machine, and machines zapaole of perrormrng such operation w1th staples of satisractory size to extend through two thicknesses of a thick padding sheet in this manner, are well-known in the trade. With such a stapling machine the securing of the thick padding sheet l5 to the spring assembly is done very easily and quickly and with only a minimum amount of labor bein required.

A second padding sheet Ztl (FlGS. l, 2 and 6), preferably of the same sponsy material as the main padding sheet l5, but of considerably less thickness than the padding sheet l5, and thus, for example, having a thickness of from 3A of an inch to two inches, is cut in the proper size to extend exactly to the edge or the covered spring face. Thus the second or top padding sheet Ztl will extend to the vertical plane touching the outer edge of the folded over main padding sheet l5.

The outside covering or ticking 2l is arranged over the second padding sheet rhis tickinf or outside covering 2l extends to the edge of the second padding sheet Ztl on all four sides and is formed with a border seam at such edge7 such border seam preferably being corded, as indicated at 22, to give an attractive and desirable edge finish to the padded mattress surface. The outside covering or ticking 2i then extends downwardly on all sides from the edge seam 22 and is secured in place by any practical means. Preferably, however, the sides of the ticking extend partially down over the sides of the spring assembly and meet the ticking or covering which extends over the bottom of the mattress, or opposite lace of the mattress, as the case may be, and the edges of the companion sheets of ticking or covering in such case are secured together in the manner presently explained in a line extending l^ngitudinally along each side face of the mattress and approximately centrally thereon.

The outside coverin.O or ticking 2l is first secured to the second padding sheet This is done by stitching the ticking to the padding sheet El? in a continuous stitch line 23 extending around parallel to the edge seam 122 and positioned two or three inches in from the edge seam. inasmuch as the stitching of the tic iny to a padding sheet of such spongy foam material as sheet would not be very secure, since the stitching would be likely to pull through the spongy material, an inner strip of fabric Z4 (FlGS. l and 2) is iirst placed under the border portion of the padding sheet Zil to form a bacl'- ing for the stitching. This fabric strip 2li extends onv/ardly considerably beyond the stitching line and extends beyond the other side of the other stitching line to the roll which the inner padding sheet l5 forms around the border wire 13 of the covered face of the spring assembly. Thus the stitching along the line 23 extends through the outside ticking 2l, through the interposed padding sheet Ztl, and through the inner fabric strip 2d. ln this way the padding sheet 2;@ and the outside ticking El are secured hrmly together along the stitch line 23 and the backing strip 2d i revents the stitching from being pulled through the padding sheet Ztl.

il/'hen the outside ticking 21. has been secured to the padding sheet Ztl in this manner the padding sheet 2li is in turn secured to the thicker inner padding sheet 15 by the application of an adhesive coating between the opposed faces or the two padding sheets l5' and 2li. This adhesive coating Z5 begins a spaced distance inwardly from the line of staples i9 on the padding sheet l5 and from the stitch line 23 on the padding sheet 2li. The adhesive may be applied over this entire inside area between the two padding sheets l5 and 2li, or may be applied at intermittent portions over this inside area. In either case the thin padding sheet Ztl will be suiliciently lirmly secured to the inner thick padding sheet l5 so that no sliding or creeping or wrinkling of the top padding sheet Sill on the inner thick padding sheet 15 can take place.

Pl'he outside covering or ticking Z1 extends downwardly over each side edge of the mattress from the edge seam l2 as previously mentioned, preferably for approximately half the distance between the opposite padded surface, in the case of a reversible mattress, as shown in FIG. l, or preferably approximately half the distance between the padded top surface of the non-reversible mattress, shown in FlG. 6, and the covered bottom face of the spring assembly'. At this half way line around the four sides of the mattress the bottom edge of the top outside covering or ticking 2l meets the corresponding edge of the companion sheet of ticking 2, which covers the other face of the mattress or the bottom side of the mattress, and the tivo meeting edges are held stretched towards each other by connecting zipper means 26 (FIGS. l and 3), or by a stitched connecting seam, or, if preferred, the zipper connection 2,5 may extend part way around the mattress and then give place to the stitched connecting seam 27 for the remainder of the distance, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

When zipper means form the connection, in whole or in part, between the two halves of the exterior covering or ticking this has the advantage of enabling the mattress to be opened up for access to the interior, either for the purpose of displaying the interior of the mattress construction, or for the purpose of affording quick access to the interior of the spring assembly, should this be desired for any reason. ln either case, the two portions o outside covering or ticking 2l and 2l are held taut together on all four side faces of the mattress when the mattress is in normal position.

Thus in this improved mattress construction the inner sheet l5 is firmly secured to the spring assembly around the entire inside border portion of the mattress; the outer thinner padding sheet 2li is secured to the inner padding sheet l5 by adhesive; the ticking 21 is secured to the outer parte. 1g sheet 2? by stitching and preferably by the continuous border line of stitching 23; and finally the ticking is pulled taut over the edge of the outer padding sheet @Il and over the side of the thick roll of padding extending around the edge of the spring assembly lill.

W 'h such arrangement the creeping or wrinkling of the ng with respect to the outer padding sheet 2) is practically impossible; the creeping of the padding sheet 2li on the thick padding sheet l5 is impossible; there can be no creeping or movement of the thick padding sh'et l5 out of place on the spring assembly lll to which it is secured. No tulting is required to maintain the padding in place with respct to the ticking, or vice versa,

or maintain the padding and ticking in place with respect to the inner spring assembly.

The line of staples 319 by which the thick main padding sheet is secured in place on the spring assembly is completely hidden. The stitch line 23 near the border, by which the ticking and the thinner outer padding sheet 2t? are secured together, does not mar the otherwise smooth surface of the mattress, but rather enhances the appearance of the exterior of the mattress. The top padding sheet 20, by terminating exactly at the edge seam 22, aids in providing a resilient but firm edge to the mattress and in maintaining such edge. The use of adhesive between the thicker and thinner sheets of padding l5 and 20 cannot be detected from the exterior of the mattress and does not in any Way impair the softness and resiliency of the mattress surface. As will be readily understood, attempts to secure the outside ticking of a mattress to a sheet of spongy padding by adhesive have proved entirely unsatisfactory since the coating of adhesive on the underside of the ticking makes its presence clearly apparent and mars the feeling of desired softness and resiliency of the mattress to the touch, as well as being otherwise objectionable. However, using the adhesive only between the two padding sheets avoids all these objections and provides an important and necessary aid in securing the desired characteristics and stability for the finished mattress.

it will be apparent that this improved mattress construction is very practical from the standpoint of large scale production. The spring assembly 1li is readily obtainable on the market as a complete unit and at moderate cost. The same is true also with the netting 16, used as the preferred insulation, or with other satisfactory insulation sheets which are similarly suitable, readily obtainable, and low in cost. The securing of the thick padding sheet to the spring assembly, the securing of the outer padding sheet Ztl to the inner padding sheet 15, and the securing of the ticking 21 to the outer padding sheet 26B, can all be done with expenditure of a minimum amount of time and labor.

Finally this improved construction enables full use to be made of modern spongy materials, such as polyfoam entirely and satisfactorily in place of the less d desirable sponge rubber or other resiiient padding materials heretofore used in mattress construction.

I claim:

In an inner spring mattress construction, a rectangular coil spring assembly having a peripheral member extending around the top face of the assembly, a heavy padding sheet of polyfoam extending over the top face of said assembly, an insulation sheet interposed between said padding sheet and said assembly, the edge portions of said padding sheet extending around over said peripheral member to the underside of top face of said assembly, staples securing said edge portions of said sheet and said sheet to said assembly, said staples extending in a line spaced inwardly from and parallel to said peripheral member, a second padding sheet of polyfoam of considerably less thickness than said first sheet extending o' er said iirst sheet and terminating at the outer periphery of said lirst sheet on said assembly, an outer fabric covering on said second padding sheet, said outer fabric covering having -an edge seam at the periphery of said second padding sheet and extending beyond said edge seam, a border fabric strip extending around on the under side of said second padding strip above said line of staples, a line of stitching passed through said outer covering and said second padding sheet and border strip above said line of staples, said second padding sheet secured to said first padding sheet by adhesive within the area enclosed by said stitch line and line of staples, the border portions of said fabric covering beyond said edge seam extending part way down over each side of said assembly, a companion fabric covering on the other face of the mattress, and means holding said border portions of said first mentioned fabric covering and the edges of said companion fabric covering taut together.

References @Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,410 Schubert Mar. 12, 1940 2,611,910 Bell Sept. 30, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 457,898 Canada July 5, 1949 708,480 Great Britain May 5, 1954 

